Many PR professionals might advise you to avoid pitching the press around the holidays, especially national holidays…but not Voxus. Whether your news just happens to be announced near a holiday or you are planning to cater your news to fit a holiday theme, here are a few tips to help you take advantage of the holidays, especially the weird and wacky ones.
Plan accordingly
If you’re pitching around a holiday, make sure to give yourself more than your usual amount of time to reach a reporter. Even though the news never stops, reporters are entitled to take some extra time off, too. So don’t assume that your contacts are available right before or after the holiday.
The easier the better
Holidays can be busy for everyone, so make it easy on the reporter and provide all the elements needed to develop the story. Showcase the news, provide background information, ensure your spokesperson is available for an interview and make sure images and/or video are easily accessible.
Every day is a holiday!
If you’re between holidays, just search the Internet for “unique holidays” and take your pick. There are hundreds of funny, bizarre holidays to utilize when pitching the press. For instance, if you are pitching an environmental or green-focused news angle and were not able to take advantage of Earth Day here are a few dates to keep in mind for May: May 16 is Love a Tree Day, May 29 is Learn About Composting Day and May 30 is Water a Flower Day. Another option is to tie your news to some of the weird holidays such as Star Wars Day, World Beard Day or my personal favorite, International Bacon Day.